Carr Rambler opinions?

[RJLII]

I'm doing some advance planning in anticipation of an amp upgrade and I'd welcome opinions from the group. I'm basically looking for a PTP single channel combo with 'verb that will handle the Blackface tones well. Ton controls that will offer tweed flavors would be an added plus. I like my '65 DRRI but it lacks clean headroom and the bottom end farts out when it's really cranked. I never use the normal channel or the vibrato effect either.

 

The Carr Rambler seems to be a good fit on paper. Any opinions?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

- Rob

[Scooter]

Rob, how's it going? I've been on my own amp search for a while. I'd also looked into the Rambler at one point. Never had one but it supposed to be a great amp. Kuz here has one and has stated several times what an exceptional blackface amp it is.

 

A couple other amps I've come across that are definitely worth a look, regarding your looking for an amp to do the tweed thing along with the blackface thing, are the (not in any particular order):

 

1) Tone King Imperial (which you can get new for around $1800-$1850). 20 watts. It does blackface and tweed real good and the tone is scary good. There are some decent sound clips on their website as well as a couple decent demos by Lance Keltner on youtube. Website: http://www.toneking.com/

 

Also, if your budget is bigger, Tone King's other model is the Metropolitan, which does the same thing but in a grander way. The Metropolitan goes for $2700 and is 40 watts. It also has phase 4 technology (a better power scaling technology that is actually very effective).

 

2) Valvetrain amp models 416 (16 watts; $1599) or 427 (27 watts; $1649). Go to their website and check them out: http://www.valvetrainamps.com/. FANTASTIC amps. Their 416 and 427 amps have two parallel channels running, one blackface and one tweed. You can turn the knob to the off position for either channel and run the other alone OR you can blend the two, which is most excellent. There are also several video and sound clips on their site OR if you go directly to youtube, as the video clips will load faster there, I find.

 

Anyway, Tone King and Valvetrain are among my top four choices in my amp search at this point and they seem to fit what you're looking for. Carr is great stuff, too. Man, there are A LOT of great amps available today! It's mindblowing.

 

Scott

[Scooter]

Oh, yeah, a couple more that are nice blackfacers:

1) Twister Amps Devil's Deluxe. $1400; veriwatt (type of power scaling/wife approved); around 20 watts. Jade is extremely cool and is as good as it gets for people to deal with. http://www.twisteramps.com/

2) Fargen Blackbird. 20, 30 or 40 watt options. Ben is yet another cool dude to deal with. http://www.fargenamps.com/

 

I'll shut up now.

[slider313]

I've played a friends Carr Rambler side by side with his '66 Deluxe Reverb. While the Carr is a nice amp in its own right, it's not a blackface Fender by any means. The main distinction is the Rambler uses 6L6's in cathode bias for 28 watts. Most compare it to a Fender Deluxe Reverb, but a DR uses 6V6's in fixed bias for 22 watts. You really can't compare the two in that respect. All blackface Fenders are fixed bias, except the Champ. I found the cleans to be nice and full but lack the sparkle and clarity of a blackface Fender using the same two 6L6's; like the 1x15 Pro, Vibrolux Reverb, Pro Reverb, Bassman, Bandmaster or Tremolux. I think a well tuned up Deluxe Reverb holds its own next to the Rambler, accounting for the six watts difference, but they don't sound anything alike and I'll take the well tuned up blackface DR every time.

[iim7v7im7]

Rob,

 

I would also consider one of David Allen's amplifiers (http://www.allenamps.com/index.php) as well. Particularly since you are not only interested in BF sounds but also some tweedish tones. David's RAW control takes the tone stack out of the circuit gradually removing the mid-range scoop at 400Hz and increasing the gain out of the preamp into the power tubes. Here is aphoto of my Accomplice (22w with 6V6s and 35w with 6L6s).

 

Bob

 

 

I'm doing some advance planning in anticipation of an amp upgrade and I'd welcome opinions from the group. I'm basically looking for a PTP single channel combo with 'verb that will handle the Blackface tones well. Ton controls that will offer tweed flavors would be an added plus. I like my '65 DRRI but it lacks clean headroom and the bottom end farts out when it's really cranked. I never use the normal channel or the vibrato effect either.

 

The Carr Rambler seems to be a good fit on paper. Any opinions?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

- Rob

[Kuz]

I've played a friends Carr Rambler side by side with his '66 Deluxe Reverb. While the Carr is a nice amp in its own right, it's not a blackface Fender by any means. The main distinction is the Rambler uses 6L6's in cathode bias for 28 watts. Most compare it to a Fender Deluxe Reverb, but a DR uses 6V6's in fixed bias for 22 watts. You really can't compare the two in that respect. All blackface Fenders are fixed bias, except the Champ. I found the cleans to be nice and full but lack the sparkle and clarity of a blackface Fender using the same two 6L6's; like the 1x15 Pro, Vibrolux Reverb, Pro Reverb, Bassman, Bandmaster or Tremolux. I think a well tuned up Deluxe Reverb holds its own next to the Rambler, accounting for the six watts difference, but they don't sound anything alike and I'll take the well tuned up blackface DR every time.

 

Personally owning my '67 Blackface Vibrolux Reverb & Carr Rambler (both 6L6 amps), I feel they are very comparable.

 

The Carr Rambler does have a Pentode & Triode power switch.

 

I briefly owned a Headstrong Royal Reverb (which is supposed to be an exact clone of the '65 Deluxe Reverb). Once I played the Vibrolux, I immediately sold the Headstrong Royal- The 6L6s have so much more low end combined with the classic blackface chime. My Carr Rambler has that same tone.

 

I do like the 6V6s in my '57 Deluxe Tweed RI and in my Headstrong 'Lil King, but for me nothing beats the 6L6s for the 3-D tone!

 

Check out "Gregor Hilden" on youtube, all he uses is a Vibrolux reverb and I contend the Carr Rambler sounds VERY VERY close.

[slider313]

Kuz,

I guess we all have our opinions and don't hear things exactly the same, but I don't think the Rambler sounds anything like a Vibrolux Reverb. The two 10" speakers alone make it a completly different animal. The two 6L6's in a fixed bias circuit for 35 watts opposed to the Carr's 28 watts in cathode bias also make a big difference. My '64 Vibrolux has much more spank, sparkle, clarity and cut than my friends Rambler and he's tried three different speakers in it to try to "capture" the sound of his Deluxe Reverb. The Carr is a great sounding amp in it's own right but if it sounds like any Fender, to me, it sounds like a bigger version of a Princeton Reverb. JMHO

 

Mike

[Kuz]

Kuz,

I guess we all have our opinions and don't hear things exactly the same, but I don't think the Rambler sounds anything like a Vibrolux Reverb. The two 10" speakers alone make it a completly different animal. The two 6L6's in a fixed bias circuit for 35 watts opposed to the Carr's 28 watts in cathode bias also make a big difference. My '64 Vibrolux has much more spank, sparkle, clarity and cut than my friends Rambler and he's tried three different speakers in it to try to "capture" the sound of his Deluxe Reverb. The Carr is a great sounding amp in it's own right but if it sounds like any Fender, to me, it sounds like a bigger version of a Princeton Reverb. JMHO

 

Mike

 

Mike, you definitely have a depth of knowledge of amps that is unparalleled and unrivaled on this forum (I actually need to speak with you about a quick amp question).

 

If my Headstong 'lil king is supposed to be an exact clone of a Princeton reverb (except it does have a 12" speaker) I can definitely hear a tone more tweedish from it. My Carr Rambler definitely sounds more blackface. Also my Rambler is an older one with the orginial speaker they used (King Pin, I believe) before they went to the eminance wizard. (I don't know what your friend's Carr has).

 

I know my '67 Vibrolux is all stock, except for the speakers which are period correct.

 

So yea to my ears they sound very very similar.

 

WITH THAT SAID, Mike has own and played more vintage amps than I ever have and his opinion should be upheld with the highest authority.

[RJLII]

OK, let me ask this.............

 

The Rambler is available as a 1X12, 1X15, 2X10, and 2X12. I've heard clips of the 1X12 and 1X15 and both sounded pretty good. What about the twin speaker versions? Would a 2X10 setup offer a little more of the tonal profile one finds in a Blackface?

 

- Rob